Chinese Cuisine: Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe

#This really needs no introduction because of its popularity. The dish originated in Canton, but is reproduced in most of the world’s Chinese restaurants.# To prepare the batter, sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the center and add the oil and enough water to make a thick, smooth batter.

Using a wooden spoon, stir the ingredients in the well, gradually incorporating flour from the outside, and beat until smooth.

Heat enough oil in a wok to deep-fry the pork. Dip the pork cubes one at a time into the batter and drop into the hot oil. Fry 4-5 pieces of pork at a time and remove them with a draining spoon to paper towels. Continue until all the pork is fried.

Pour off most of the oil from the wok and add the sliced onion, pepper and pineapple. Cook over high heat for 1-2 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Mix all the sauce ingredients together and pour into the wok. Bring slowly to the boil, stirring continuously until thickened. Allow to simmer for about 1-2 minutes or until completely clear.

Add the vegetables, pineapple and pork cubes to the sauce and stir to coat completely. Reheat for 1-2 minutes and serve immediately. #TIME# Preparation takes about 15 minutes, cooking takes about 15 minutes. #VARIATION# Use beef or chicken instead of the pork. Uncooked, peeled shrimp may be used as can whitefish, cut into 1-inch pieces.